A British man has been arrested in Morocco for committing “homosexual acts”.
Ray Cole, 69, was on holiday in Marrakesh in September visiting a local man Jamal Jam Wald Nass, when the pair were arrested at a bus stop for suspected homosexuality.
Cole’s son, Adrian Cole, told PinkNews that the Moroccan authorities failed to notify the family of British consulate of the arrest, and he feared his father was missing for nearly a week before he was eventually able to get in contact.
The police searched Jam Wald Nass’ home and found a photograph of the pair on Cole’s mobile phone, which they used in court as “proof” of the men’s homosexuality.
The two men were sentenced to four months in jail on 2 October for committing homosexual acts, which remain illegal under Morocco’s 1962 penal code with a maximum sentence of three years behind bars.
The family have expressed concern about Cole’s treatment in prison and say that they plan to appeal the ruling or negotiate his deportation back to the UK.
A #FreeRayCole Twitter hashtag, a Facebook page, and an online petition have been set up calling for Cole’s release.
